The present invention relates to fluid treatment. In particular, the present invention relates to filters in treatment of water.
It has been found that bathing or showering with tap water entails a number of hazards. For example, the skin may absorb undesirable constituents from the water particularly because pores of the skin are enlarged during a hot shower or bath. Additionally, to the extent that such undesirable constituents are not absorbed, harsh chemicals, such as dissolved chlorine and hydrogen sulfide, are irritating to the skin itself.
In the field of treating water for commercial, industrial and residential use, numerous systems have been proposed, many of which are cost and technically effective for purposes of removal of undesirable constituents from drinking water if the flow velocity is not high and the water is not warm. However, the development of water filters, particularly those adapted for use in showerhead applications is a comparatively recent development.
In such applications, the rate and volume of water flow is typically much greater and much warmer than is the case in applications in which the only objective is to provide contaminant-free drinking water. Accordingly, the prior art filtration concepts, which are workable in drinking water applications, are unsuitable in shower or bath applications and, to a considerable extent, the reverse is also true. A shower or bath intended filter which, inherently, is designed for high speed, large volume filtration of warm or hot water would not constitute an optimal system for purposes of low volume extraction of contaminants from cooler drinking water.
Therefore, there is a need for a water filter particularly suited for use in applications in which the rate and volume of water flow is typically much greater than is the case in applications in which the objective is to provide contaminant-free drinking water.
The present invention relates to an improved filter device for the removal of contaminants from water comprising a filter housing having an inlet at one end for water to be purified and an outlet for purified water at an opposing end thereof. Within the filter housing is at least one region of uniformly dispersed granular copper media.
In another embodiment, the filter system may further comprise a radial filter pad secured in the housing in integral radial contact with the region of copper granules.
In yet another embodiment, the filter system further comprises a region of granulated activated carbon (GAC), which has a particle size distribution of about 10 to about 100 mesh (based on US standard screen sizes). The GAC, in addition to its biologic absorbing properties, also absorbs radon which may be carried by the water passing into the filter system.
The system may also include one stainless steel screen for defining the inlet to the filter device and a second such screen immediately preceding the outlet thereof.
In yet another embodiment, the core is configured to direct the water from the inlet and through the uniform region. The radial space is configured to direct the water from the uniform region out through the outlet.
The present invention further comprises a method for removing contaminants from water comprising passing the water through a filter device comprising a filter housing and an inner filter housing. Next, the water is dispersed through a uniform region of copper medium disposed within the inner filter housing. The contaminants are next removed from the water by bonding the contaminants to the uniform region of copper medium. Next, organisms are removed from the water by reacting the organisms in an oxidation/reduction reaction with the uniform region of copper media. The water is then exited out of the filter housing.